Civil rights groups oppose new ID registration guidelines
Civil rights organizations call out the government over the vetting process in the new ID registration guidelines
Civil rights organizations call out the government over the vetting process in the new ID registration guidelines.
In a joint statement by the Haki Centre, the Nubian Rights Forum, Paranet, Namati Kenya, and Haki na Sheri Initiative, they argue that “the government risks replicating the arbitrary and discretionary nature of vetting in the new registration guidelines.”
This comes after the Ministry of Interior on April 29, released a set of reviewed guidelines on the issuance of ID cards which have been met with stiff contention by civil rights organizations and community-based organizations.
Kenyans living in border, cosmopolitan, and settlement counties will no longer undergo vetting for the issuance of National Identification Cards as President William Ruto scrapped the requirement on April 8, 2024.
The process has always seen applicants, often Asians, Arabs, and Nubians who are not considered ‘indigenous’ communities, being required to provide proof of Kenyan citizenship to be issued with ID cards.
Ruto therefore noted that the dated processes have been discriminatory and ID issuing should not be based on religion or region.
The new guidelines, which apply only to border and cosmopolitan areas, will see applicants providing proof of name, age, and citizenship (either through a birth certificate and parent ID card)
The organizations now argue that the new guidelines do not address access to identification for millions of Kenyans who currently lack documents “due to the historical injustice of vetting.”
They added that vesting such power in chiefs and security agencies such as the DCI and the NIS in ID application processes poses a risk in replicating the current vetting practices.
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To better streamline the ID issuance process, the organizations have urged the government to abolish all the set requirements.
They want an end to ID vetting and differential treatment of ID applicants in all forms, grounding the process of acquiring identification in legislation and eliminating discretionary powers to trigger ad-hoc investigations or review committees.
“For applicants providing the required documentary proof of name, age, and citizenship, verify the documents at no cost and issue ID cards without delay or extra steps,” they said.
“Implement affirmative action measures to issue identification to all Kenyans, especially those previously excluded from accessing documents due to the historical existence of discriminatory vetting.”
They also want an expansion of the number of registration and identification offices especially in underserved areas of Kenya.
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